SDSU SWEEPS McNEESE

Saturday, August 28

Denton, Texas

11 a.m.

South Dakota State University

2-1,0-0Summit League

McNeese State

2-1,0-0Southland

South Dakota St.

McNeese

Photo by: SDSU Sports Information

8/28/2021 12:57:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

DENTON, Texas – The South Dakota State volleyball team put together a balanced offensive attack and turned in a strong defensive effort to sweep McNeese State by scores of 25-20, 25-15 and 25-22 in the finale of the North Texas Invite Saturday morning.

The Jackrabbits, 2-1 overall, set the tone early, scoring the first five points of the match. SDSU never trailed in the opening set as it was helped by 13 McNeese errors – eight hitting errors and five service errors – and received three kills from Crystal Burk.

The errors continued to mount for McNeese in the second set as the Cowgirls committed 11 more hitting errors, including three on blocks by SDSU. McNeese scored the first three points of the set, but the Jackrabbit offense responded, hitting .346 in that stanza. SDSU scored seven consecutive points on Burk serves to take a 12-7 lead, one the Jackrabbits would not relinquish.

McNeese led 21-18 late in the third set, but the Jackrabbits ended the match by scoring seven of the last eight points. Kills by Annalee Ventling-Brown and Burk brought SDSU to within 21-20 and consecutive attack errors by the Cowgirls gave the Jackrabbits a one-point lead. After a timeout, Ventling-Brown tallied a solo block for a 23-21 lead and SDSU closed out the sweep with Burk's team-best eighth kill and a service ace by Tatum Pickar.

The freshman middle blocking tandem of Ventling-Brown and Ella Thompson combined for 12 kills, eight blocks and a .545 hitting percentage with no errors in a combined 22 attempts. Ventling-Brown tallied six kills on nine attempts and a match-high five blocks, with Thompson adding six kills in 13 attempts and three blocks.

As a team, SDSU hit .211, compared to .060 by McNeese. The Cowgirls, who also ended the tournament with a 2-1 record, ended the match with 29 hitting errors as opposed to 35 kills.

Chloe Stitt contributed a match-high 11 digs for the Jackrabbits and Carly Wedel distributed 21 assists.

Kendall Glueck paced McNeese with 10 kills.

NOTES

Saturday's matchup marked the first-ever meeting between SDSU and McNeese in volleyball
Burk tallied 33 kills in three tournament matches, but had her streak of matches with 10 or more kills end at 13
Pickar's string of 12 consecutive matches with double figures in digs also was snapped
The Jackrabbits began the season with a 2-1 record for the second year in a row

UP NEXT
The Jackrabbits return home to host the SDSU Invitational Sept. 3-4 at Frost Arena. SDSU hosts Montana at 11 a.m. Friday to open the four-team, round-robin tournament.

-GoJacks.com-